
A father who initially regretted his vehicle purchase took to Reddit to share how the car ultimately protected his daughter's health during a trip from Panvel to Nashik. In a viral post titled, "My Rs 10L Car Purchase Just Saved My Baby's Lungs - Here's Why," he explained that being trapped behind a heavily polluting truck made him realise the importance of a car and its controlled cabin environment for a child's safety.
"I regretted buying my Maruti Fronx (Rs 3 lakh down payment, Rs 7 lakh loan) until last week's Panvel-Nashik trip changed everything," the user said, adding that the realisation soon dawned upon him.
"Stuck in traffic behind diesel trucks with my 1-year-old daughter and wife. Thick black smoke. Zero visibility at night. Construction dust everywhere. Windows shut, AC on recirculate. Then it hit me: What if we were on a bike? or what if some other family was stuck in such situation who cannot afford a car."
The man advised parents who were debating whether to buy a car to jump in and quickly get one to protect their child from pollution.
"If you're debating a car purchase with young kids, your child's health > monthly EMI anxiety. A car isn't luxury it's a mobile air purifier," he wrote.
"I went from financial guilt to grateful relief. That Fronx isn't just transportation but it's my daughter's respiratory defence system. To parents still deciding: Factor in what you're protecting, not just what you're spending. The loan ends in 5 years. Lung damage doesn't."
My ₹10L Car Purchase Just Saved My Baby's Lungs – Here's Why
byu/DukkarTalks inCarsIndia
As the post went viral, social media users overwhelmingly agreed with the assessment, adding that the intangible benefits often make a vehicle a sensible purchase, despite many people fixating on the initial price.
"You found a reason. Most don't even realise the pros until one gets to experience something like this first-hand," said one user, while another added: "You missed the biggest benefit amongst all - safety."
A third commented: "I can recommend something better to you. Throw away the stock white paper filter Maruti service centres install. Buy a PM 2.5 Activated Carbon Cabin Filter or the one that's compatible with your model."
A fourth said: "I know someone who caught a rare heart and lung bacteria and disease because of inhaling toxic diesel fume while behind a lorry. Till now, her life hasn't been normal."
A new study published in Science has challenged this view, suggesting the genetic contribution might be considerably higher.
Several parts of the national capital woke up to dense fog on Monday morning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) remaining in the moderate to poor categories according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.
India's fight against toxic air just took a hit. The 2026-27 Budget allocated only Rs 1,091 crore to pollution control - down from Rs 1,300 crore last year.
Several parts of Delhi and the wider National Capital Region (NCR) witnessed light rain during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a drop in the maximum temperature for today.
The air quality in Delhi has shown slight deterioration this January compared to last year, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) till January 30 standing at 307, compared to 306 during the same period in 2025, according to an analysis
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